Cross-border e-commerce is not just about selling online, it is about opening doors for South Africa’s Small Medial Enterprises (SMEs) to actively participate in the global economy. This was the message from the Director of Export Development and Support at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) Mr Kwanele Mkhwanazi, , as he set the tone for the e-commerce panel discussion at the 7th Annual Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) Studentpreneurs Indaba, hosted by UNISA in Pretoria. The theme for the event was Entrepreneurship for Sustainability.
“Through platforms like this Indaba, the dtic aims to cultivate an export culture that empowers youth to think global from day one,” added Mkhwanazi.
The session brought together key stakeholders from across the e-commerce value chain, to unpack opportunities and challenges in cross-border e-commerce. The emphasis was placed on compliance requirements, logistics, payment systems, customer trust, and the enabling role of trade agreements such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The session was attended by students, academics, researchers, civil society, public and private organisations. It was aimed at fostering dialogue and showcasing best practices around supporting and advancing entrepreneurship development across the 26 public universities in South Africa.
The panel discussion, facilitated by the dtic, was part of the ongoing collaboration between the dtic and EDHE to nurture a culture of exporting among student and youth-owned businesses. The collaboration has also resulted in the launch of the Next-Gen Exporter Incubation Programme, focusing on export readiness for youth-owned enterprises.
By creating access to knowledge, networks, and trade opportunities, the partnership seeks to ensure that young entrepreneurs are well-positioned to leverage digital trade to expand into regional and global markets.
According to one of the panellist, the Director of Market and Trend Analysis at the dtic, Mr Likani Lebani, e-commerce is a potential engine of economic growth, particularly in helping small and medium-sized enterprises to internationalise.
“With digital technologies, even the smallest enterprises or individual entrepreneurs can become ‘mini-multinationals’ by originating, marketing, and selling goods and services across borders. However, this opportunity comes with the responsibility of navigating complex rules and regulations in importing countries, ranging from customs procedures to consumer protection laws,” said Lebani.
Commenting on the importance of cross-border e-commerce, the CEO of the Ecommerce Forum South Africa, Mr Alastair Tempest, who also formed part of the panel, said: “Government support is critical for building a thriving e-commerce ecosystem. By collaborating with the dtic at Ecommerce Live, we are bridging the gap between industry innovation and policy support. This joint effort will accelerate the development of new online exporters and strengthen South Africa’s digital economy.”
Tempest added that the shared vision of EFSA and the dtic was to ensure that local entrepreneurs benefit from every opportunity to compete on the global stage.
The panel discussion demonstrated the dtic’s commitment to harnessing the digital economy for trade and investment. Moving forward, the dtic and partners like EFSA will continue to work together on initiatives that unlock export opportunities for South African businesses in the e-commerce sector.
From left: DHL Regional GoTrade Programs Manager, Sub-Sahara Africa, Ms Nangamso Nxumalo; Director of Market and Trend Analysis at the dtic Mr Likani Lebani; the CEO of Ecommerce Forum Africa, Alastair Tempest and CEO of 2Ship, Mr Chris Rossouw.
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Bongani Lukhele – Director: Media Relations
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Issued by: The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
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